The crowd braved the rain to hear worship from Matt Redman and the Kingdom Choir.

Beautiful praise in Trafalgar Square as its transformed into #TrafalgarPrayer. #Pentecost #ThyKingdomCome pic.twitter.com/GHr8m92asD

— Thy Kingdom Come (@thykingdom_come) June 9, 2019

They also heard from various different church leaders including Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Cardinal Vincent Nichols the leader of English and Welsh Catholics.

Encouraging people to engage with the Holy Spirit by comparing him to wildlife he saw on family holiday’s Cardinal Nichols said: “Those trees and flowers had deep roots and in a barren landscape they could reach the water.

“That water we can think of as the Holy spirit in our lives – making us fruitful and making us witnesses. For that we need deep roots. We need to know where we are rooted.

“When we gather like this we don’t only see the loveliness of the water but we learn to deepen our roots.”

Thy Kingdom Come, which is an ecumenical project, was set up to unite people in prayer that more people would come to know Jesus.

The service at Trafalgar Square was the conclusion of what was 9 days of prayer.

Those gathered were led in prayer for various different things including for London’s emergency services. Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick joined Bishop of London Sarah Mullally on stage to be prayed for.

Later, Justin Welby…

Baronelle Stutzman was sued after she declined an order from a customer she had previously served for ten years.

The owner of Arlene’s Flowers in Richland was given fresh hope last year when the US Supreme Court asked the Washington Supreme Court to reconsider the lawsuit against her.

This was as a result of cake-maker Jack Phillips winning a case in which he was told he was within his rights to refuse to make a cake for a gay wedding.

However, in a unanimous decision, the Washington Supreme Court’s nine justices said that Stutzman had violated a state anti-discrimination law by refusing service to Robert Ingersoll and Curt Freed, for their 2013 marriage.

On Thursday, Washington high court again rejected Stutzman’s argument that arranging flowers for a same-sex wedding would violate her free speech rights under the US Constitution’s First Amendment and would be on par to endorsing same-sex marriage.

John Bursch, an attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group that represented Stutzman, said the state has been hostile toward her religious beliefs. “We look forward to taking Barronelle’s case back to the U.S. Supreme Court,” he said.

Stutzman is being represented by religious freedom charity Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).

Addressing the development, ADF attorney, John Bursch said: “We look forward to taking Barronelle’s case back to the…

The Christian charity and other organisations want a special session of the UN Human Rights Council on Sudan, after the military’s deadly crackdown last week on protesters.

The African country has been suspended from the African Union as a result.

On Sunday, streets were empty across Sudan’s capital on the first day of a general strike urged by protest leaders demanding the resignation of the ruling military council.

The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) called on people to stay at home in an act of protest.

The SPA spearheaded months of mass protests that led to the military overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir in April, and called on people to remain in the streets until a full handover of power to civilians.

CSWs Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said: “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost loved ones, and pray that the injured would soon recover.

“It has been a particularly difficult week for the Sudanese people, as the violence was launched just before Eid, the celebration of the end the Ramadan fast.

“We condemn these brutal attacks on innocent civilians in the strongest terms and welcome the African Union’s decision to suspend Sudan from the regional body and stand in solidarity with the Sudanese people.

“There is an urgent need to restore civilian rule and hold those…

The US Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover girl told Harper’s Bazaar UK that her faith guides her personal and career decisions.

She explained: “My faith has given me the strength to say ‘no.’ If I’m not comfortable, or if something doesn’t align with my mission, then I’m not participating.

“My faith is my balance.”

The 31-year-old model who’s been married for nine years, also shared the fact that she and her husband regularly pray together.

“My husband and I like to pray together because in the Bible it talks about when two or more are gathered, God is in the midst,” she said.

 

“Whatever your higher power or beliefs, I think it’s important to have that quiet moment of reflection.”

The Nebraska native hoped her interview would get the attention of mKanye West as she wished to attend his exclusive invite-only Sunday Service.

“And if anyone can get me into Kanye West’s Sunday Service, I’ll be on the plane to LA,” she added.

“I need to go have some worship.”

Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily newsletter and receive more stories like this straight to your inbox every morning.

In his homily during Pentecost Mass in St Peter’s Square, Francis also said that “the more we use social media, the less social we are becoming”.

He warned of the temptation to cling to “our little group, to the things and people we like,” saying it was only a “small step from a nest to a sect, even within the church”.

The pope said that “nowadays it is fashionable to hurl adjectives”, and recommended people respond “to malice with goodness”.

Francis said the Catholic Church risks becoming a mere organisation with propaganda as its mission instead of a drive to foster joy and harmony.

Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily newsletter and receive more stories like this straight to your inbox every morning.

Narendra Modi (below) on Sunday said that his country stands in solidarity with Sri Lanka in the wake of the attacks.

He tweeted: “Started the Sri Lanka visit by paying my respect at one of the sites of the horrific Easter Sunday Attack, St. Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade.

“My heart goes out to the families of the victims and the injured.”

Nine suicide bombers struck two Catholic and one Protestant church and three luxury hotels in the attacks in April.

It was the country’s deadliest attack since its civil war ended in 2009.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility.

Mr Modi continued: “I am confident Sri Lanka will rise again. Cowardly acts of terror cannot defeat the spirit of Sri Lanka.

“India stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka.

He is the first foreign leader to visit Sri Lanka after the Easter attacks.

Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily newsletter and receive more stories like this straight to your inbox every morning.